Mahi Aroha Awards
Volunteer Wellington Te Puna Tautoko hosted the Mahi Aroha Awards 2024 on Thursday 20th June celebrating volunteers in the Wellington Region. The Mahi Aroha Awards are an opportunity honour the collective energies and mana of volunteers and the contributions they make to our communities.
There were over 80 outstanding nominations this year for three award categories presented by the Honourable Louise Upston, Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector.
Congratulations to the 2024 Mahi Aroha Award recipients:
⭐ Mitre10 MEGA Volunteer of the Year Winner – Juliet Clare from Lower Hutt Foodbank.
⭐ Mitre10 MEGA Volunteer of the Year Runner up – Tui Davies from Youthline Wellington.
⭐ Volunteer of the Year Highly commended – Corban Plester from Mountain to Sea Wellington.
⭐ Volunteer of the Year Highly commended – Harita Gandhi from National Council of Women NZ and Wellington Indian Association.
⭐ LEAD Team Governance Winner – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Aotearoa / Tu mate Tuatea, me te mate Pōuri o Aotearoa.
⭐ LEAD Team Governance Runner up – Vogelmorn Community Group.
⭐ Employee Volunteer Community Team Winner – Salesforce and House of Science (Wellington Branch).
⭐ Employee Volunteer Team Runner up – Spencers and Kaibosh.
The awards were supported by Mitre 10 MEGA Wellington and LEAD Centre for Not for Profit Governance & Leadership.
Gail Marshall, Volunteer of the Year 2023, spoke about co-founding the Community Comms Collective and the impact of their mahi supporting the community sector.
The Kapa Haka group from Karori Normal School gave a wonderful performance which the guests thoroughly enjoyed.
The Hon Louise Upston Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector was a speaker and presented the awards:
“As we look to the future, I want to confirm this Government’s commitment to seeking ways to enable communities to thrive and be at the forefront of their own successes. This will best happen when community, government and business work together for aligned outcomes that strengthen our society.
Your dedication to your communities is inspiring, and your efforts do not go unnoticed. Whether it's organising events, implementing projects, or advocating for change, your tireless contributions make a real difference in the lives of those around you.”
Pictured: Volunteer of the year Winner Juliet Clare from Lower Hutt Food Bank with Jeremy Prentice Mitre10 MEGA and Honourable Louise Upston Minister for the Community and Voluntary Sector
Photo Credit – Broadmedia www.broadmedia.co.nz...
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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84.4% Yes
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14.1% No
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
scumbags
There are some really awful people around at the moment. This is what happened on Sunday.
We live in Hinemoa Street opposite the Waiwhetu Stream. At around 3.40 in the afternoon I was looking out my window and saw a car pull up and start to feed the geese and ducks out the window. Then The passenger an asian man jumped out and threw himself onto a goose. he picked it up and put it the boot of the car.
I immediately ran over and stood in front of his car to stop him moving I also called my husband to help. A lovely man was riding his bike and saw it and stopped to help me. The driver tried to drive into me but I didnt move. He tried telling us it was his pet. These are wild geese.
They had a cage in the boot and some wire all ready to catch the poor bird like they have done it before. My husband took the bird from the car and released it. I then moved out of the way and after lots of abuse from the driver they drove off threatening to come back and get more.
No one should be allowed to take these beautiful birds and certainly not like this. they are all starting to have wee babies at the moment the whole thing was so upsetting to me. Another neighbour further down the road also saw it all happen.
Please keep a look out for this car and if you see them by the stream go over and watch them lets all stop this happening.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.